New York City Seizes Record Number of Illegal Guns

Guns seized by the New York Police Department (NYPD), in the largest seizure of illegal guns in the city's history, are displayed on a table during a press conference, August 19, 2013 in New York City. The operation, which involved an undercover... View Full CaptionAndrew Burton/Getty Images

Guns seized by the New York Police Department (NYPD), in the largest seizure of illegal guns in the city's history, are displayed on a table during a press conference, August 19, 2013 in New York City. The operation, which involved an undercover agent buying guns that were smuggled from North Carolina and South Carolina, yielded over 250 guns. 19 people have been charged in the operation.
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At a press conference announcing the seizure of 254 illegal guns, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg referenced a wiretap conversation from the investigation showing that one of the gun traffickers' biggest concerns was the city's controversial "stop-and-frisk" policy.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly read aloud the conversation, in which a gun trafficker discussed his plans to take the "Chinatown Bus" from Charlotte, North Carolina to New York City.

"Yeah, I'm in Charlotte now, I can't take them to my house, to my side of town in Brownsville [Brooklyn]. We've got like, what-cha-ma-call-it, stop and frisk."

The gun trafficker from the wiretap and 18 others have been indicted for transporting the firearms from North and South Carolina, where Kelly said there are weaker gun laws, and then selling them in New York City to an undercover officer.

Police say the officer met with the defendants on more than 45 occasions and would sell the loaded guns within hours of arriving. The firearms seized range from a .22 caliber to assault weapons valued at over $160,000.

"More than 200 guns is an astonishing number of firearms to be recovered by one undercover officer in a little under one year," said Kelly.

As Bloomberg and Kelly addressed the media, most of the weapons seized lay on a table in front of them, illustrating a small victory in the fight against illegal guns.

The mayor is also hoping for a victory in his appeal of a ruling by a federal judge just one week ago, that the NYPD's controversial so-called "stop-and-frisk" policy is unconstitutional.

Bloomberg has said the tactic, which allows cops to search anyone regardless of whether they believe a crime has been committed, is "an important part of [the NYPD's] record of success."

In her ruling, Judge Shira Sheindlin said the policy unfairly targeted blacks and Hispanics. Sheindlin ruled that the policy could continue, but only under strong new restrictions.

New York's mayor and police commissioner refuted the judge's ruling once again at Monday's press conference, applauding the police officers involved in the largest gun seizure in the city's history.

"There is no doubt that this seizure has saved lives," said Bloomberg.